Bug Squad

A daily (M-F) blog launched Aug. 6, 2008 and about the wonderful world of insects and those who study them. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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A black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus) foraging on Spanish lavender, while a honey bee buzzes in to get her share. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hear the Buzz, Feel the Buzz, Capture the Buzz

April 6, 2015
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Hear the buzz, feel the buzz, capture the buzz! With your camera! If you're into pollinators, plants and photography, and want to share your work nationally, here's a new project for you.
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A lone soapberry bug searching for a mate in the UC Davis Arboretum, off Garrod Drive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Fifty Shades of Gray (and Red)

April 2, 2015
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Ah, soapberry bugs... They'll never get top billing in a racy novel, let alone star in an R-rated movie. The "R" word comes into play only when they're referred to as "the rapidly evolving soapberry bugs" or when scientists talk about reproduction.
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This female damselfly, Argia vivida, can barely be distinguished from the twig she's resting on. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Quick! Find the Damselfly!

April 1, 2015
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Quick! Find the damselfly! This damselfly (below) is so camouflaged that it's difficult to see her.
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A lady beetle crawls on an Iceland poppy stem. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Fly Away Home

March 31, 2015
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Who wouldn't like to have a lady beetle, aka ladybug? Although they're commonly called "ladybugs," entomologists call them "lady beetles." That's because they're beetles, not bugs.
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